An on-line video game player who lost "weapons" and "treasure" in the virtual world turned to the courts for help and won China's first virtual properties dispute case.

The Beijing Chaoyang District People's Court ruled Thursday that the on-line game company, Beijing Arctic Ice Technology Development Co. Ltd., should restore the player's lost items.

Li Hongchen, a 24-year-old company employee in north China's Hebei Province, had spent two years and over 10,000 yuan (1,205 US dollars) playing the game and purchasing virtual "bio-chemical weapons", which enabled him notch up victories in the game.

However, he found all his "weapons" had been stolen in February, and were allegedly being used by another player, with the ID, " Shuiliu0011".

Li then began a legal battle to reclaim his "properties" in the real world.

He first asked the company to identify the player who had stolen the items and close his ID, but was refused on the grounds that they could not provide players' personal details, which were regarded as private.

He then resorted to the police, but came away with no satisfaction.

The on-line game, Hongyue or Red Moon, is widely played. Gamers first register and then buy cards from the operating company to pay for their playing time.

Li demanded 10,000 yuan in compensation. "I exchanged the equipment with my labor, time, wisdom and money, and of course they are my belongings," Li Hongchen said.

"The value of the virtual properties only exists in the games and they are just piles of data to our operating companies," said vice-general manager of Beijing Arctic Ice Technology Development Co. Ltd. who provided his family name as Qiu.

The court found the server programs had loopholes, making it easy for hackers to break in, so the company should take responsibility for the property lost.

The China on-line game industry has been booming in recent years, raking in about one billion yuan each year. Disputes over virtual properties have also been soaring in recent years, but relevant laws are still unavailable.

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